Blind People Can See Like Bats

June 7, 2011

1. clicking(adj.) – describing a sound that is slight and
sharp, as in a shoe heel hitting the floor

Example: The clicking sound of his shoe annoys me.

2. echo(n.) – a sound repeated as it bounces off a solid
structure, like a wall

Example: I heard the echo of my voice when I shouted on top
of the mountain.

3. visual(n.) – something that is related to sight or the
sense of seeing

Example: Painting is an
example of visual art.

4. rehabilitation(n.) – the process of restoring good
health, condition, or operation (usually of someone or something)

Example: Treatment for
alcohol and drug addiction is offered in some rehabilitation centers.

5. navigate(v.) – to walk around in order to find one’s way

Example: Soldiers navigate through the thick forest using
their compass.

Article

Read the text below.

Canadian researchers
discovered the part of the brain which make blind people see like a bat.

Some blind people find
their way around a space by using echolocation. This technique involves makingclicking sounds and listening to
theechoes produced by these sounds.
Bats and dolphins are known to use the same technique to get a sense of what
their environment looks like.

Two people who have been
blind for years and who are experts in echolocation were involved in an
experiment. They were asked to echolocate listening to recorded sounds
while researchers record their brain activity.

The findings showed that
thevisual part of the brain, known
as calcarine cortex, is activated during echolocation. This means that even
though they are blind, they use the part of the brain used by normal people in
order to see things.

Susie Roberts, arehabilitation officer who helps blind
people, says that this finding can help them understand how some blind peoplenavigate. This might likewise
help improve the way echolocation is taught to blind people which can let them
move around on their own.

Viewpoint
Discussion

Enjoy
a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

·What
normal activities can blind people still do?

·What
are some ways which can help blind people live normally?

Discussion
B

·Do
you think it is possible for blind people to live by themselves? Why or why
not?